Chapter 27

Mia rotated her shoulders, a feeble attempt to expel the tension created by the beating of her heart against her fragile chest. The silky spaghetti straps rolled down her shoulders, a sudden chill running past her. Her hairs stood on end as she struggled to pull the straps up on her shoulders.
She suddenly felt cold, she shivered and sucked in a shaky breath. Her fingers trembling as she pressed the doorbell with her numb index finger. Mia glanced down at herself. It had been too long since she’d worn something this revealing or short. The black silk dress hugged every crease and curve in her body, the fabric scooping at her chest and ending six inches above her knee. Although, she was discovering that the longer the fabric settled on her body, the shorter it became. She’d barely recognised herself in the mirror at Amber’s house.
The material glistened as she turned from side to side in anticipation.

*Last chance to run.* Her subconscious purred, almost daring Mia to do the unthinkable. Was it unthinkable though? Weren’t people allowed to change their minds from time to time?

*Time to time yes. Not every single time* she was reminded that she’d been flaking from the beginning.

The door clicked and she froze, her hand bag maintaining a residual motion, swinging slightly against her hip.
He stared at her, his jaw dropping and his eyes roaming her body. Mia enjoyed the rush of confidence tingling her skin and awakening her womanhood. She felt powerful by being able to elicit such a reaction from him. Harvey shoved his hands in his trouser pockets, the black and white plaid shirt stretching across his wide expanse of chest and arm muscles caused her to clear her throat. His body was immaculate and it showed in everything he wore. Mia was more than ready to see his naked body; she’d satisfied herself with her imagination for too long.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?” She took advantage of the feeling of security that wrapped around her.

“I lost my breath for a bit there,” He eased to the side to allow her entrance. His eyes were unable to detach themselves from her, her shoes accentuating her long smooth legs and bringing her a bit closer to his height. Tonight would be harder to keep his hands to himself than he’d initially thought. He’d intended to converse with her, get to know her but it would take all of his self-discipline.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.” She responded shyly. How much years had it been since she flirted with a man? Could he tell she was out of her element and area of expertise?
Mia lowered her eyes to the floor. The four inch nude heels staring back at her.

“Like what you see then?” He smiled erotically and Mia squelched her nose up at him. He gestured for her to enter. Mia ventured two steps forward and she was suddenly in his apartment, nerves taking over her to the point that she was unable to take note of her surroundings. Was he tidy or messy? Did he prefer warm or cool tones? She couldn’t tell, her eyes were trained on a spot between his two shoulder blades as he led her through the apartment in a trance.

“I hope you’re hungry.” He moved off to the side, revealing a table flanked with red candles and an array of food. Mia flicked her gaze towards him.

“Oh.” The sound escaped before she could think to censor it. She had the imaginary response of slapping her hands over her mouth.

“What?” He gazed at the table, wondering if he’d done something wrong. Did she have allergies that he wasn’t aware of? Did she have preferences that he forgot to ask about? A plethora of questions swarm around his mind like an activated hive ready to defend their queen.

“You actually made dinner.” She replied instantly, she worked with enough humans to be able to tell when one was overthinking. There was nothing wrong with dinner, actually the spread shocked her, but this was not what she was expecting. She hadn’t shaved and prepped in anticipation of dinner. So, the fact that dinner was on the table…literally, she felt stupid.

“Was I not supposed to make dinner?” He took out his cell phone to check their prior messages. Did he misread one? He was almost certain that this was the plan they made.

“I honestly misinterpreted the situation.” Mia swallowed hard, wondering where she’d gotten the idea that Harvey didn’t actually plan on dinner. Was it her wishful thinking?

*It was that conversation you eavesdropped on that gave you all these wild ideas* Her subconscious, she really had to find a name for her, reminded her of the night she listened to the women speak of Harvey’s indiscretions.

“What do you mean? I believe I said dinner at my place.” He was beginning to doubt his memory; he found the message and flipped the phone around for the screen to face her.

“I didn’t come here for dinner.” She didn’t bother to look at the phone screen. She could recite their messages verbatim after reading them back over the past day and a half.

“What did you come for, then?” he dropped the cell phone on the table and moved a few paces towards her.
Mia choked on any potential words that were to escape. She was losing her nerve. He towered over her, her eyes focused at the hollow at the base of his throat.

“What do you want, Mia?” His voice was low, shadows casting over his features. He wanted to reach out and touch her but he buried the urge to do so. She had to give him permission.

“I think you know.” She gazed into his eyes, allowing her eyes to affix to the curve of his lips. Her heart hammered against her chest, would he be able to hear it?

“I need you to say the words, Mia.” The anticipation was causing his pulsating member to harden, it wouldn’t be long until he was very visible.
Mia shoved the growing angst down where it belonged. There was no going back. She inhaled, “I want you.” She couldn’t look into his eyes for fear that he’d dismiss her. How did she have this much confidence to assume such a man would want her? What if he rejected her?

“Would you like to follow me into the bedroom or is out here fine for you?” Certainly not a rejecting. She could feel the intoxicating warmth of his breath against her hairline. His scent, woody and masculine, infiltrated her nostrils and made her dizzy with the rising serotonin in her veins.

“I am fine with either.” She responded past the expanding mass in her throat. She didn’t have experience with these sorts of relationships. What were the accepted codes of conduct?

“Let’s make you comfortable.” His eyes darkened and his voice turned husky. He extending the palm of his hand out to her, he looked down at it and placed her hand in his.

“Comfortable?” the word came out as a tiny squeak as he led her further into the apartment. Was it too late to accept dinner instead? She mused to herself. She knew it wasn’t but she didn’t want to eat with him. She wanted to feel his tight grip on her hips.
Mia kept her hands unnaturally still in his. She so badly wanted to rub her thumbs along the veins in his hands but wouldn’t that be too much on the romantic side?

Harvey pushed open a bedroom door, he flipped the light switch and the room illuminated. A huge bed sat in the centre of the room like a beacon. She swallowed hard as he let go of her hand and closed the door behind them.
Mia evaded his gaze, she could feel his presence filling the space and weirdly she was at ease. She wasn’t wary of Harvey, instead her mind was silent.

“Take a seat.” He patted the edge of the bed and smirked. He’d been with his fair share of partners but no one had ever given him such mixed signals. She’d said with her own mouth that she wanted him and yet her body language was riddled with anxiety.
Mia slid on the bed, her feet dangling a few inches from the floor. Harvey licked his lips, her body inviting him. He kneeled to the floor and set to work on removing her shoes. He craved fucking her with them on, but not tonight.
Mia flinched when his fingers grazed her ankles, he stared up at her after he removed one shoe. He encircled his hand around her ankle, his thumb rubbing circles into her flesh. Her breath hitched, his eyes held her in a haze. She’d never been touched this delicately before.

“Are you sure you want this?” he removed the other shoe, both his hands cupping her calves and massaging them.
Mia nodded, “Yes.” Her lips parted once he’d pressed his lips against her left knee caps. A fire brewing at the slight contact.

“Good girl.” He muttered, rising to his full height and pulling her to her feet. Her body slammed against him, the breath being knocked out of her. Her mouth opened wider and he smirked.